It's spring, and new American Girl books are popping up like daisies! The American Girl books are one of the most popular series in my kids' school library (as a school library volunteer, I know!), so I'm sure it won't be long before the girls are lining up to read all the new AG releases. We recently received a copy of The Cameo Necklace, and such a great book, it's too good not to share!

About the book:As Cécile exits a crowded showboat after enjoying a lavish Floating Circus, she stumbles—and when she gets up, she realizes that the cameo necklace she borrowed from her aunt is no longer on her neck. Knowing that the necklace was the last gift Tante Tay's husband gave her before he died, Cécile is desperate to find it. As she tracks down the people in the crowd who were near her when she fell, her search takes her into many corners of New Orleans, from a society tea party to the crowded French Market, even the dangerous cypress swamps...and deep into secrets she never imagined! An illustrated "Looking Back" essay provides facts about the 1850s. 192 pages. Paperback. Author: Evelyn Coleman. Ages 9+

The Cameo Necklace is a great story that's sure to resonate with young readers right from the start. Every girl can relate to losing a valued treasure like a necklace, and going through any lengths to find it!

As a parent, I really like how this book is more than just a thriller; it also teaches many life lessons and provides a historical context for so many of the issues young girls face today. It was quite sobering to read about how Cecile's brother Armand is harrassed and threatened because he is a young black man, especially with the case of Trayvon Martin. Like all the Cecile/Marie-Grace books, The Cameo Necklace provides the perfect talking point for parents to open up conversations with their daughters about race and prejudice.

Also new this spring at the American Girl Bookstore are 2 Historical Characters titles:

Win a copy of The Cameo NecklaceWe love to share the American Girl love, so The Pea wants to pass on The Cameo Necklace to one lucky Bonggamom Finds reader! That's right, today's giveaway is for our review copy of The Cameo Necklace: A Cecile Mystery. It has only been read a couple of times and is in like-new condition :)

Required EntryCheck out the new American Girl book titles and leave a comment on this post telling me which one your daughter would love to read. This entry must be completed before any extra entries will count.

Extra EntriesFor extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

4) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):RT @bonggafinds Win a copy of the latest American Girl historical mystery: The Cameo Necklace: A Cecile Mystery http://bit.ly/H5sfAj

The RulesThis giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on April 10, 2012; I will draw a winner at random on April 11 and post his/her name after she/he confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a review copy of The Cameo Necklace to facilitate my review (which I am also giving away here). Product information is provided by American Girl and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Disclaimer

The opinions expressed on the Bonggamom Finds blog are the personal views of the author; any reviews or recommendations are not intended to constitute medical advice or treatment in any form. In addition, neither the Bonggamom Finds blog nor its author are liable, and cannot be held liable, for any dissatisfaction you may have with the product, sponsor or any injuries that may be caused by use of that product.

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I occasionally receive samples of the products I review on this blog. I also occasionally accept monetary compensation for posts on this site. If and when I receive either product samples or compensation for writing a review post, this will be clearly stated in the body of the review post.